Secrets
by Jasmine Lita Everdeen
Summary: An AU... or is it? Ari Batchelder is a uni student, studying zoology and sport. Lira Azalea is the girl who invaded his private spot to study at. All in all, she is a normal girl. When Ari's dad makes a psycho science institute called the School, which makes mutants, Lira is caught up in the middle of it. Ari would do anything to save her. But will his determination be enough?
1. Chapter 1

My pencil snapped in my hands, lead sprinkled across the paper that I was writing for my science professor. The girls in the table across from me kept on giggling, distracting me. With a growl, I swept the broken pencil into the bin, grabbing my paper and leaving to find a peaceful spot. My eyes swept the courtyard outside the science block and fixed on the path that lead to my table that I often sat at. At the plead of my father, Jeb, I tried to do my homework, but obviously, it failed. I'm an unsociable person by nature.

I stomped down the path to my table. It was made of marble, but was clean. A birdbath stood near it, so anyone who was sitting there could watch the birds come and go. All in all, it was a place where no one could disturb me.

I rounded the final corner and to my surprise, someone was already there, scribbling furiously on a piece of paper. Her long brown was swept into a messy braid, but I still saw the weavings in it. I always had astonishing eyesight.

A snap of a twig that I stood on made her aware to my presence. She turned around, glaring. She stiffened when she saw me. I walked forward. I felt her eyes on me as I approached, taking in my lean, tall frame, shaggy brown hair and leather jacket. She obviously decided that I was one of the ragamuffins who got into the university by a fluke and started to gather her things. She gave me one last glance before she stood up and made to leave.

"Um, you can stay, if you want to," I said, sitting down on the opposite bench.

She stiffened even more, so much that her back was as straight as a rod. Her eyes looked at me incredulously. "Are you talking to me?"

I snorted. "Yeah. Do you see anyone else around?"

She scowled but sat down again, spreading her papers out. She worked in silence for a few minutes, before saying quietly. "Do you come here often?"

I was surprised that she even talked to me. She didn't seem like a person to just make friends just like _that_.

"Yeah," I said. "I always come here to do my work. It's peaceful and quiet. No one needlessly talking to you."

She coughed and bent over her work, not saying anything. I realized what I just said. "…Not that it applies to you or anything."

"Okay."

She pulled the sleeves of her jumper over her hands and continued to write. I noticed some paint stains on her hands, and the calluses on her hands meant one thing.

"What do you study?" I asked her.

"Um, art, music, literature and science."

"I study science too."

She finally looked me in the eye, her green eyes sparkling with intelligence. "What kind?"

"Zoology." I replied. "What about you?"

"I study biology," She said, looking at her paper. It says at the top: BIOLOGY CLASS NO. 2 HONOURS.

"Whoa, you are an Honours student?" I said, startled. "You look pretty young."

She laughs quietly. But I'm not one to talk. I'm also in Honours, and I'm only 20. Some of Dad's genes were passed onto me, I guess. I'm not that much of a genius. More like a smart kid.

"I'm 19," she explained. "My mum's a genetic scientist. She graduated from high school when she was 12. I guess her brains were passed onto me."

"Why do you study bio?"

"I'm just interested in the structure of life, how things where created. What stuff are made of." She gave me a sharp look. "Why?"

I shrugged. "I'm just curious. I also study sport. I chose zoology because animals fascinate me, and I want to work with them."

"Do you do any sport?"

"Yeah. Boxing."

"That's interesting," she said. She smiled slightly and stuck her hand out. "Now we know so much about ourselves, let's tell each other our names. I'm Lira. Lira Azalea."

I grinned and shook her hand. Her hand felt tiny in my huge one. "Ari Batchelder. Nice to meet you."

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><p><strong>Hello! I'm Jasmine, and I'm the author of this fic! Please review! It would make my day!<strong>


	2. Chapter 2

**Thank you for all of the reviews! They make my day!**

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><p>From then on, Lira and I would often meet at the table at the tree. Sometimes we would sit in companionable silence, only punctuated by the occasional curse from her when she wrote something wrong. Sometimes we would tell each other stories or jokes that would make her laugh hysterically. I would always look forward to coming to the table and see her bent back and messy brown braid.<p>

"I'm obsessed with the Hunger Games," she admitted to me. "That's why I always wear a braid. Katniss is the person that I want to be."

Then I flicked her braid and said: "Well, I think that being Lira Azalea is the best person to be. I think that having your hair down would suit you the best."

She blushed and bent further down over her work. But then, the next day, she wore her hair down with a simple rose in it. I thought she looked better than ever. I told her so.

"Thanks," she murmured, giving me a small smile and scribbling something down for her literature assignment.

We decided that today would be one of those silent days.

The next day, I hurried towards the table. I had great news for her! Maya, one of my friends, had told me that the bio lab had got a new upgrade, and I couldn't wait to tell Lira. She would be so excited!

I skidded to a stop at the table, and looked around in confusion. She wasn't there. I walked closer and inspected the seat. No, it didn't look like she sat here, either. Where is she?

A thought occurred to me, and I jogged back to the cafeteria. As expected, I saw her standing at the drinks stand. She had told me that she also liked hanging around the drinks stand, talking to her friends. According to her tone, she was quite the popular person, which made me more grateful that she spent her lunches with me. Then I saw the friend that she was talking to.

I recognised that brown hair with the blond streaks, the jacket, her high-tops, the two boys and the girl next to her. The first boy had raven-black hair and black clothing. The second boy had orangy-blond hair and a T-shirt that proclaimed him as a 'Doctor'. The second girl had brown hair tied into a high ponytail, and a fancy, puffy dress.

Max, Fang, Iggy and Nudge.

Crap.

I spun away quickly, hoping to escape the cafeteria without her noticing. Alas, no such luck. As Lira would say, the odds were not in my favour.

"Ari! Come and meet Max!" She cried.

I grimaced and turned around, walking to her. Her green eyes were glittering with excitement, obviously not noticing the negative vibes I was giving off to the very idea of seeing my half-sister and her boyfriend. Max raised an eyebrow at my appearance next to Lira, silently asking me a question: _How do you know Lira?_

"Max, this is Ari Batchelder. Ari, this is Max. Max Ride." she introduced, practically bouncing with happiness of her two best friends meeting. "The dark emo type is Nick, her boyfriend-" I inwardly winced at the expression 'boyfriend'. "-Jeff, their friend, and Krystal, their other friend!"

Fang gave me a look that still said that he didn't trust me.

"Uh, we kind of know each other," I explained to Lira. "Me and Max... we're half-siblings."

Lira's face showed her confusion, then it hit home. She kind of froze and gulped. She realized what that meant.

"I'm sorry," she blurted out. "I thought you guys didn't know each other..."

"It's okay, Lira. It's an honest mistake." Max said.

"Yeah, I didn't know that until I saw them side by side!" chirped Nudge. "Can you believe that they are actually siblings? My parents didn't think so. I mean, I would love to have a sister or a brother. I could get up to all sorts of trouble, and then we could prank everyone... Yeah, and they would have a really cool name, and if it was twins they could switch places and confuse everyone, and I could pretend to not notice anything, and-"

"Nudge." Lira cut in. "You're babbling again."

Nudge blushed. "I was? Oh, I'm so sorry! I don't know what's wrong with me! My parents say its a disorder. I wonder where I got it from? From my Mom, my Dad, or my grandmother-"

Iggy nudged her (get it?) and she shut up.

"So..." I tried to act casual. "Did you know about the bio lab?"

Lira, who was staring at something out the window, blinked and gave me her full attention. "No. What happened?"

"The bio labs got an upgrade."

Lira started squealing and jumping around. "Yes! We got that new equipment! I've been begging him for it, and he got it! Yes!"

She hugged me really really hard around the waist. My ribs felt like they were getting crushed. I had no idea that she was this strong. I put my arms around her waist. I could feel her heart thumping erratically against her ribs.

Then I realised what an awkward position we were in: me and Lira hugging, and we were not in a relationship. Hugging, in a public place.

We both coughed and drew apart. Nudge and Max were standing there with a little smirk on their faces and the guys just looked bored. But Lira's expression got me the most.

She was grinning like crazy.

I captured that moment and stored it in my memory. That smile would save me from the most dire situations. Give me hope when everything was looking hopeless.

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><p><strong>Please review!<strong>


	3. Chapter 3

**Thank you for the reviews! I have decided that this will be shorter than the other fanfics that I am writing. Maybe 10-20 chapters?**

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><p>"Dad? I'm home!" I yelled, slamming the door.<p>

I tromped into the kitchen and hunted in the fridge for a snack. Meat, cheese, Max's crackers... I saw an apple and grabbed it, biting into it as I walked into the lounge and saw my dad sitting on the sofa and staring at a clip of papers.

"Dad? Earth to Dad..." I said, coming over to peek over his shoulder.

"Afternoon, Ari," he said distractedly, not even bothering to look up. "How was your day?"

"Good, thanks. What's-"

"Jeb! I'm back!" Max's yell sounded from the front door. She walked into the room.

"Max!" Jeb actually got up and went to hug her. "How was your day? Are you hungry? You look hot! Do you want to go for a dip in the pool?"

"I'm fine, Jeb," she muttered, pushing him away. "I'm going with Fang for a bit at the fair at five, okay?"

"Sure! Just check it with Mom."

I never got that affection from Dad ever. It's like Max is the most important person in Jeb's life, after his work. I'm actually the legitimate kid in the family, Max being born between Dr. Martinez and Dad when he was still married to my Mom. But she's dead, and my Dad doesn't even acknowledge my existence. Dr. Martinez is basically the only person who treats me like a person. Total, our Scottish terrier, trots away when he sees me. Shamed by a dog.

My life in a nutshell.

"Jeb, what's that?" said Max, noticing the pile of papers left forgotten on the couch.

"Oh, that? It's papers for my new lab." He said, gesturing for Max to sit down, and giving me a flapping wave that I think is also to sit down.

"So," he said, sitting down and staring intently at both of us. "I'm opening a new lab, and I need test subjects. Would it be alright if you two do it?"

"What?!" we both said.

"What kind of test is it?" asked Max.

"Nothing major. Just some liquids... no ill effects."

I stayed silent. I didn't want to do it, but if it earned Dad's affection...

"I'll do it if Fang, Nudge, Iggy, Angel and Gazzy do it too. And Total," she added as an afterthought.

A gleam ignited in Dad's eyes that I didn't like. It was kind of evil.

"What about you, Ari? Will you do it too?" He said, acknowledging my presence for the first time.

"Why not?" I shrugged. "Is it biology?"

"Sort of."

A thought occurred in my mind. "Can Lira go?"

Dad eyed me. "Who's Lira?"

"Me and Ari's friend," Max covered up quickly. "She's a Honours student for bio and lit. Can she go? Please?"

Of course Dad would give in. "Sure, Max. Whatever makes you happy."

My nails bit into my skin. I stood up and headed towards my room, swinging my bad down and flopping onto my bed. I stared up at the ceiling, into a picture of wolves that I had stuck onto the ceiling. In fact, my walls are covered in pictures of wolves. What? I just happen to like wolves.

I groaned and rolled over in my bed. Sure, Lira would be ecstatic that I am the son of a world-known biologist, it's just that Lira doesn't seem to be a person to let other people make decisions for her. I don't know her for that long, only like a week or so, but she's a person that trusts easily and gives information away without a peep.

Dunno if that's a good thing or bad.

"Ari?" Dr. Martinez's soft voice penetrated my thoughts.

I rolled to face her. "Hi, Doc M."

She came to sit beside me. One of the things that I liked about her was that she didn't try to take my mom's place, and she didn't invade my personal space. She only offered her help if I looked like I needed it.

"Is it about Jeb?" she said.

"Yeah."

"He ignoring you again?"

I felt frustrated tears well up in my eyes, but blinked them away. "Why is it so hard for him to love me? I mean, he loves Max, even her gang that isn't family and he still notices them!" All of the loneliness and anger at Dad's rejection. "Am I that unwanted? It's like I'm not good enough for his standards, much less his attention!"

Dr. Martinez placed a comforting hand on my shoulder.

"Ari, have you ever thought that he is staying away for your own good?" she asked.

My stunned and disbelieving silence said it all.

"Maybe he knows that one day, you will achieve great things, and you will leave and make your own life. After all, you are aceing university, and you're not even twenty-five yet. He's proud, I know that. He just can't show it in the way that he wants to."

I didn't say anything.

"Think about it, okay? If you want another snack, choc-chip cookies are in the kitchen." She stood up and left.

I growled under my breath and lay on my back. Why was my life so complicated? My eyelids were getting heavy. I knew that I had a massive stack of homework (That's the downside of being a Honours at a young age. Never ending homework) and that Lira would kill me if she had to help me again, and made a mental promise to do that later after my nap.

I gave into sleep.

I dreamt about me morphing into a wolf and killing Lira.

Needless to say, it wasn't the best dream I had.

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><p><strong>I thought I should add in some Dr. M and Ari bonding time :D Review my lovelies! <strong>


	4. Chapter 4

**Thank you for the reviews! On a random note, I have heard Nicki Minaj's new song Anaconda, and every time she goes: 'Oh my gosh. Look at her butt' I laugh so hard because I saw this ad where she was promoting twerking as a sport to get a small butt...**

**Sorry, that was really random. Have you guys also heard "All About That Bass' by Meghan Trainor, I think?**

**Anyways, let's get on with story! Enjoy!**

**- Jasmine xxx**

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><p>"So, I said that he actually did look cute, and it turns out, that he thought I was cute! So I cornered him and-"<p>

I tuned Nudge out of my ears and focused on what Lira was saying. She was bouncing around, looking around at the equipment that was in Dad's new lab. I had to admit, it was pretty high-tech. There were classrooms, even.

Wait, what the classrooms for?

"This is so amazing, Ari! Thank you so much for inviting me!" She said, still bouncing around. Gosh, how much energy does she have? She must be high on energy drinks.

"I'm not high," she said. I looked at her strangely. She laughed. "You're expression tells all. You can ask Max, I'm hyper all the time. But now, since I'm excited..."

She practically shot three metres when she saw a piece of equipment. "Oh my _freaking_ God! It's the radioactive container! How loaded is your dad, Ari?"

"Hey, hey, calm down." I said, grabbing her hand for her to stop bouncing. "You're going to hurt yourself."

She stopped and glanced down at our hands. I blushed and let go. But she stepped forward and put her hand in mine.

"It's nice to be worried about by someone," she smiled.

I was surprised. "Why, don't your parents care?"

Her smile disappeared and she swallowed, her eyes going shiny. I was horrified. What happened to her parents that she didn't want to talk about. Oh, god. What did I do? Damn, sometimes I can be so tactless.

"You don't have to tell me," I said.

She shuddered, drawing in a breath. "No, I want to. It's time I told someone."

I waited.

"My parents... they had a great big argument, and they stormed out of the house when I was 10. They never came back, and I always thought that they were dead. I had to care for myself, and I couldn't tell anyone. This is the first time that I told anyone."

I gaped. Her parents are MIA? "My dad ignores me," I found myself blurting out. "He always focuses on Max, I'm just the hang-on. Sometimes it's like I'm not even there..."

Lira's eyes got brighter and she hugged me, sobbing quietly. I patted her back until she felt better and stopped hugging me. She wiped her tears away, but she smiled weakly at him.

"Thanks, Ari."

I grinned back at her. But then the door at the end of the corridor flew open and Dad stood there in a white lab coat and glasses. Lira squealed and rushed forward, pulling out a piece of paper and a pen. She was in front of him in a flash and he blinked.

"Hello, sir! I'm Lira, and I'm a huge fan of your work! Could you please give me your autograph!" She said breathlessly, speaking very fast in her excitement.

Dad blinked again and smiled. "Sure, Lira. I guess that you're the friend that Max spoke of?" he said, signing the piece of paper.

Lira collected it. "Actually, I'm friends with Ari, too!"

Dad's smile dropped a bit as he turned to look at me. "You have an interesting friend, Ari. Makes me wonder..." he turned away.

Lira sent me a look. I could see that she was shocked about how he had treated me. After all, aren't parents meant to care for their children? I gave her look back that said: _I told you that he ignores me most of time. Do you see what I mean? _Lira: _Uh, yeah. Duh__._

"Well, come in! We're going to do a small quiz before we get started!" Dad lead us into a clean white room with beds. "Please sit on a bed."

Max had to lift Angel onto the bed next to her, holding her hand and murmuring words of comfort to her. Gazzy and Iggy sat side by side, as always. I avoided Fang and sat next to Lira. She gave me a glowing smile. I had a foreboding feeling, but I shoved it aside and grinned back at her.

"So, please state your favourite animal. Max?"

"Bird."

Fang: "Bird."

Nudge: "Birds, they're pretty amazing, you know!"

Gazzy *yawn*: "Bird"

Iggy: "Bird. Duh."

Angel: "Birdy!"

Total: Woof.

Lira thought for a moment. "I like swans, they're really graceful and beautiful."

_Like you_. I thought before I realised what I just thought. _No, she's just my friend._

"A wolf. But birds are cool." I said.

Dad looked down at a clipboard and nodded. "Yep, that's just right. Okay, what we're going to do is just get you to lie down on the bed? The thing that we're going to do will be entirely painless."

I exchanged a glance with Lira but lay down. A team of people in white coats came in and stood next to each of us. In a flash, metal cuffs sprang out and trapped our feet and arms to the bed. Max cried out and started thrashing, trying to get free. I tugged my arms up, desperately trying to pull the cuffs out. The person next to me produced a syringe and put it closer and closer to my skin. I closed my eyes.

A scream erupted from the bed beside me. I turned my head to see who it was. Lira was crying and screaming as the syringe punctured her flawless tan skin and was injecting something. As I was distracted, the person pushed something into my skin through the syringe. Screams and roars echoed across the room as the rest of the people in the room were injected. I barely could feel anything except the sharp pain in my forearm. My own sounds were louder than any other, at least it was to me. But before I slipped into Dreamland, I heard one more sound. And it broke my heart.

"Ari! Help me!"


	5. Chapter 5

**Thanks for all of the reviews! :D you guys made me smile.**

**I also have different fanfics up. I have a Kane Chronicles/Percy Jackson Crossover going on called Daughter of Isis. I also have a The Maze Runner fanfic up called Radioactive. I have some more, but I'm not going to mention them. Please r & r for them!**

**I have been using the author's note for self-promotion, but please review for Secrets, as always!**

**I luv all of my reviewers (as friends, duh. That would be creepy if I didn't)!**

**Enjoy!**

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><p>I caught sight of a familiar bundle of messy brown hair and bounded forward, catching her shoulder. She screamed but stopped when she saw me. I stared into her eyes, trying to pick up anything different. Apart from a bit of worry, she looked confused.<p>

"Uh, Ari? Why are you staring at me?" She said, looking at me curiously.

"Why?" I growled, shaking her. "Why? What did Jeb do to you?"

A flash of fear came into the green orbs before they were chased away. "I have no idea what you're talking about."

I growled again and stormed off, dragging her after me. She protested, struggling, until I gave up and slung her over my back. After my... transformation, I had monstrous strength. Yes, that's what I was. A monster. Lira squealed and punched my back, demanding me to put her down. But I ignored her, running towards our marble table. I sat her down and glared at her.

"Tell me. What the hell did he do to you!" I roared, shaking her.

She glared back at me, challenging me. "I won't! It's hideous, it's better left unknown!"

I growled, letting go and turning away. I felt her fear behind me, but ignored it. I took a deep breath.

I turned back and heard her gasp. I knew it. I was a monster. I stared at her with increased vision, feeling claws extend out of my paws. I growled slightly at her. I saw her frightened face in detail. My nose twitched as I smelt things that didn't matter, like what was being made for lunch in the cafeteria.

"Ari?" whispered Lira. "I'm convinced. I'll show you... if you change back. Please."

I heard the frightened tone of her voice. Sure, it was hidden under layers of false bravery, but you can't hide anything from a wolf's ears.

Yep, I was a freaking wolf. This puts off my liking of wolfs.

I changed back. Lira was eyeing me with a slightly frightened yet curious expression. She caught my gaze, and stared back with determination. Then she turned around and started taking off her shirt.

I blushed and looked away. "Uh, Lira?"

"Don't think wrong," she snapped.

But I screwed my eyes up and turned away. I waited for a few moments, then I heard an impatient sigh from behind. I opened my eyes and turned around, trying to look everywhere except her... body. But my jaw fell open when I saw what Jeb had changed about her.

Lira positively looked dangerous. Her white wings stretched out for at least a metre and a half. They were tipped with black. They were the most beautiful thing that I have ever seen. Her free-flowing brown hair blew in the wind, giving her an angelic yet dark image. She was scowling, and hands tightly folded. I walked forward cautiously, my hand reaching out. I stroked them, feeling their softness. She shivered, hugging herself.

Impulsively, I moved and wrapped my arms around her. Her cold hands linked around my neck, trembling slightly. My chin rested atop her head, and I swayed a bit, comforting her. She shook, sobbing quietly into my chest. I felt her wings start to retract, furling back onto her back. They fitted perfectly, aligning against her back in the most comfortable way.

My thought jolted through my head. What about Max and the others? What happened to them after I ran out of the lab?

"Lira?"

In a flash, Lira's shirt was back on and she spun in my arms, looking into the bush. "Yeah, Omega?"

A dude with glasses came around the tree. His eyes glinted at me, and I had a faint stirring in my stomach that I knew him from somewhere. He flashed a smile at Lira, and I felt my hackles rising – literally.

"I was wondering if you were coming to the fencing festival tomorrow?" He said in a soft voice.

My stomach felt even worse. Yep, I knew this guy, and he's dangerous. I caught a glimpse of a knife and shoved Lira out of the way, transforming into a wolf and lunging at Omega. He got me around the throat and was holding me by my neck, crushing my windpipe.

"Let Ari GO!" Lira swung a tree at Omega, hovering in the air.

The tree crashed into Omega, flinging him far far away. I transformed back into a human and stared at Lira. She was panting, still holding the tree and hovering. She then noticed me on the ground and dropped the tree back into the ground. Her wings flapped gently, lowering her to the ground.

"Uh..." I intelligently said.

"We need to hide, don't we?" Lira said, her arms crossing.

I snapped out of my daze and said: "Yeah. We can't go to my house, or anyone else that Max knows. Jeb will probably know where they live."

Lira chewed her bottom lip. "I know where my parent's house is," She said. "I kept it a secret. I live somewhere else, but I'm sure that we can camp out at my parent's house."

Oh yeah. Her parents are MIA.

"But I need to go home and get some stuff first." Lira continued.

"Yeah, sure. I can't get my stuff, though..." I said.

"My dad should have some clothes that fit you."

I slung an arm around her shoulders. She smiled at me. "Are you sure you want to do this?"

She snorted. "You're trying to get me to back out of it _now_?"

I grinned and her and bounded into the woods. She laughed and ran after me.

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><p><strong>Please review!<strong>


	6. Chapter 6

**Meg: Who says that I'm going to give Ari a happy ending? Nah, I'm not that mean. :D Yeah, I'm gonna give him a (hopefully) happy ending, but not in this story! In the sequel I will :D**

**I feel like people are losing interest in this story D: Please prove me wrong and review! The last few chapters was building a bit of an intro, and the good stuff is gonna start this chapter and the next ones will be full of Lira x Ari fluff, lots of action, and a sprinkling of feels!**

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><p>I ran and Lira flew for a hour before she signalled to me to stop. I dug my claws into the ground and shifted back into a human. Lira fluttered gracefully to the ground and her wings retracted, slipping under her shirt. She put a finger to her lips and then peeked through the bush in front of us. Then she turned back to me with a smile and pushed through the bushes.<p>

I followed her, and inwardly gasped. Her parent's house was a huge two storey house, with large glass windows and a wooden roof. The outside wooden walls were painted a deep green. Lira was reaching up to the frame of the door. Her shirt went up a bit, exposing a strip of tanned skin. I stared at the skin but then blushed, my gaze darting away.

A familiar feeling stirred in my heart, something like I used to feel when I was around Max.

I shook my head. No. I couldn't like Lira. I _can't_ like Lira. She deserves someone more than me, the part-wolf boy who used to like his half-sister(yuck) even if he didn't know at the time.

"Ari!" Lira called from the door, which was gaping open. "Come on! Let's get inside!"

She disappeared inside. I reluctantly followed her. The inside was no less impressive than it was outside. Lira was trailing her fingers along the walls, touching the photo-frames that were hanging here and there. I glanced at them at them as I moved along, taking in the child Lira and a woman with green eyes and a man with untidy brown hair that I knew were her parents.

I heard a muffled sob and discovered Lira sitting on the ground, staring at something in her hand. I looked closer and saw it was a golden necklace. I sat down next to her.

"What's wrong?" I said softly.

Her shoulders shook with suppressed sobs. Her fingers curled around the necklace. A stray tear slid down her cheek. My arm reflexively wrapped around her shoulders. She rested her head on my shoulder. I stiffened, no used to being close to a person, let alone a girl, but I relaxed.

"It's my mom's." Lira whispered. "She never took it off, not even to sleep. She was wearing it when I left for uni." She took in a shuddering breath. "She and Dad must've been... been..."

"Kidnapped," I finished for her.

My fist curled into a fist, me imagining punching the person who dared to make Lira cry like this. I knew her, and she hated to show any weakness at all.

I pressed a quick kiss to the top of her head. She didn't move, but then dragged her hand across her eyes. She looked up and gave me a watery smile at me.

"Thanks for being there for me, Ari," She said, pecking my cheek then going off to the door that lead to who knows where. She turned back and gave me a proper grin. "Well, what are you waiting for?"

I got to my feet and hurried after her, determined to not let my blush show.

That night, I was hyper aware of Lira's body next to mine. The rest of the house has been ransacked, including Lira's and the guest room, of everything. So she had jimmied the lock to her parent's room open, and, true to her word, not a thing was touched. She showed me the closet and left me to get changed while she hunted the kitchen for the safe that she said had tins of food.

A light blush had stained her cheeks when she glanced up from the pot of steaming water and saw me standing awkwardly in a white button-up and jeans. The shirt and jeans were a bit big on me but I rolled up the sleeves and bottom, but unfortunately, that showed off the muscles on my arms that I had got from boxing.

I had tried to keep my eyes off her but my eyes kept straying to the girl standing next to the stove, her hair tied up in a messy ponytail, clad in a figure-hugging shirt and jeans. There was no point in denying it any more. I thought that Lira is extremely pretty, practically beautiful.

The guy that gets to marry her is the luckiest man on Earth.

But then there was the issue of only one bed. Me, being the guy, insisted on sleeping on the floor. Lira, being the most stubborn person in the world, insisted that I take the bed and she sleep on the floor. We argued for about twenty minutes until we agreed to sleep on the same bed.

I was regretting that now.

Knowing that the girl I possibly liked was less than a metre away from me did nothing to stop my thudding heart. Lira turned over and opened her eyes.

"Ari?" Lira whispered.

"Yeah?" I shifted to face her.

Her small hand entwined with mine. She closed her eyes. "Promise you'll never leave me?"

I swallowed. "I promise."

* * *

><p><strong>FLUFF! Ah, Lira and Ari are so cute :3 In the next chapter, their first kiss might be featured! Then, an unexpected visitor(s) drops – literally – in.<strong>

**Please review!**


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